Why can’t we skip the booze?
What if you could magically find more hours in the day, feel happier, more energetic and lose weight? You can! Just skip the booze!
So why don’t we all do it?
We KNOW that just ONE drink a week is linked with increased risk to heart health and many forms of cancer such as breast, mouth and throat, with the risk increasing with every additional drink.
We KNOW that booze causes low mood and even depression.
We KNOW that we FEEL better, more balanced and happier and we LOOK better: slimmer, clearer skin, less baggy eyes!
So why do we do it?
1) Alcohol is addicitive. It’s a legal drug. It’s not your fault: you aren’t weak, it’s not about ‘willpower’.
2) Society says you must drink alcohol. Booze is firmly implanted in your lifestyle: drinks with friends, drinks with dinner, drinks when we are celebrating, drinks when we are commiserating, drinks when the sun’s out, drinks when it’s grey and dreary… And on it goes. Every day you face the message: “Drink more: it’s so fun and everyone does it!”. In adverts, social media, and even your birthday cards: “Have a Gin-credible birthday!”.
3) As midlife women we are stressed out, lonely and bored: and alcohol seems the perfect escape when you want to step off the grown up train! Pour a glass of wine and you change the vibe, you can relax, be yourself, unwind, leave the stress behind.
But it’s not true. It’s a false friend, a mirage, a trap.
So what to do?
1) Acknowledge the REAL dangers of alcohol to your health. Read the facts that apply to YOU.
2) Write a list of the downsides of alcohol on YOUR life in each of these areas: physical health, mental health, drive and motivation, children, marriage, friendships, career.
3) Write a list of the upsides of you not drinking. Ask: “how would my life be better sober?” (for me, my kids, my family). What else could I do, achieve, enjoy, if I wasn’t drinking, drunk or hungover?
These are your ‘WHYs’.
3) Inspired by your ‘whys’, choose to put alcohol aside for just a few days.
4) This change won’t happen by magic, and it won’t be easy. These are your secret weapons for success:
Keep your ‘why’ lists handy, and revisit them several times a day (eg I want to feel happy, not anxious)
Stock up on delicious healthy food, stay hydrated, go to bed early (these are KEY!!!)
Get out in fresh air and do some fun exercise (with friends!)
Tell your partner, kids and besties and ask for their support
Clear out the booze from the fridge and cupboard, and replace with alcohol free drinks that you like.
Prepare your ‘chat’ for when people ask why you aren’t drinking eg: '“I’ve got some health issues going on and need to avoid alcohol for a bit”, or be honest: “I think drinking is making me feel lousy, so I’m taking a break”.
Notice your trigger times: temporarily change your routines and habits to avoid them (eg: wine o’clock, mums’ drinks, making dinner, Sunday lunch.)
Don’t aim for perfection or absolute abstinence: just aim to reduce your drinking by 20%, and see how that feels.
You are not alone, we are ALL struggling to figure this all out! Talk to your friends about it, and look online for tips and support (try ‘This Naked Mind’ or ‘One Year No Beer’). Good luck!
“When I stopped drinking I found I had more of everything – more time, more energy, more enthusiasm. I’d been frightened about what would happen if I let it go; what would replace it but I realise now that LIFE replaced it. I got my life back.”
Inspiration from Susannah Constantine